As she spoke, clasping her hands together as if prophesying, anticipation gradually appeared on Sia’s face, her expression saying, ‘Could it really be?’

“Everyone will be happy with the clothes you make. How could anyone make a sad face wearing clothes made by someone who enjoys making them this much?”

“You really have a way with pretty words.”

She stroked Reibella’s hair as if finding her cute.

“Somehow, I feel like making clothes for you.”

“Not for Her Highness?”

“Just suddenly. I thought of clothes that would suit you perfectly. Let’s see……”

Sia carefully put down the clothes she was holding and hurriedly approached the desk to pick up a pen. Along with scratching sounds, a drawing quickly appeared on the white paper.

“It’s pretty!”

“Really?”

“Yes. This decoration is really pretty too. If you’re worried about making and selling dresses, accessories might be good to start with. Things like handkerchiefs, neckties, hair ornaments. Aren’t you interested in those?”

“I am.”

As she spoke, she began drawing something else that came to mind. Watching her draw quickly with incredible concentration, Reibella suddenly missed Calyx.

‘Will Calyx have days like this someday?’

Days when he’ll be happy, pouring his passion into something.

Will those days come for us too?

‘I should go see him.’

Realizing Sia no longer needed her, Reibella quietly excused herself. In the small space, the scratching sound continued endlessly, not even noticing the thump of the closing door. 

 * * *

 “Calyx!”

When Reibella shouted while opening the large door, Calyx, who had been sitting on the windowsill, jumped down and approached her.

Finding it fascinating how quickly he welcomed her, Reibella stared at him quietly, and Calyx blinked slowly, looking back at her as if asking what was wrong.

His shameless expression made her laugh. After giggling for a while, Calyx gently took Reibella’s hand.

Calyx was definitely different from before. The change was so welcome and joyful that Reibella sat down swinging their joined hands.

“Have you been well? What about meals? Did you eat all the food I brought?”

“Yes.”

“Was it delicious? I’ll bring more. I’m getting really good food these days.”

“It’s fine. You need to eat too.”

“I prefer fruit. For now. You’re more important than me, Calyx. Before going to the battlefield, you need to gain weight and build muscle!”

She had already confirmed with her own eyes that Calyx knew how to handle a sword and that his skills were extraordinary. Even so, he was still a child. Before Calyx went to the battlefield, she wanted to help him stay healthy and unharmed.

“About that.”

Calyx opened his mouth with a troubled expression after moving his lips hesitantly along with a small sigh.

“The day I go to the battlefield has been decided.”

“……Already?”

The Emperor was truly garbage. After keeping him locked up here all this time, why is he rushing to send him out now.

“When is it?”

“Not much time left.”

“……You won’t tell me when, will you?”

He smiled apologetically at Reibella’s question. Seeing that smile, Reibella felt like she might burst into tears.

“I wish I had been a ducal lady.”

If she had been, she wouldn’t have let him go to the battlefield in the first place, and even if he had to go, she would have undoubtedly mobilized all of Felicity’s resources to support him.

She couldn’t even imagine how much hardship this small child would endure on the battlefield. Thinking about the shock and pain he would experience committing inevitable killings made her want to cry, but she bit her lip and smiled.

She smiled brightly and said to him.

“Then let’s make memories until then!”

“Memories?”

“Yes. We need to leave lots of happy memories. When scary and hard times come, you open the memory storage.”

Though she couldn’t provide material support, she wanted to at least create a mental pillar for him.

“Think about wanting to meet me again while remembering those memories. I’ll be waiting for you too.”

She wanted to tell him she would be his milestone, hoping he wouldn’t give up on life even when difficult situations arose.

“Okay?”

“Okay.”

As he slowly nodded and smiled, that smile almost made her cry.

Reibella shook her head vigorously to dispel unnecessary emotions and looked at him again. Then, remembering something, Reibella clapped her hands.

“Calyx. There’s somewhere I want to go with you right now.”

“Where?”

“Follow me. It’s not far.”

When Reibella whined while swinging their joined hands, he smiled and followed along pretending to give in. Reibella giggled while linking arms with Calyx. 

 * * *

 The place Reibella led him to was the lake called the Spirit’s Tears. Reibella said she had come here with the princess before.

“Look at this, Calyx. Here, fish.”

Calyx gazed into the water following Reibella’s fingertip as she shook his arm urgently. There, rainbow-colored fish emitting a soft light were swimming.

“I thought it would be prettier at night, and I was right.”

When Reibella brought her hand close, the fish, thinking her hand might be food, pecked at her fingertips. She giggled.

“I wanted to show you this. How is it? Pretty, right?”

“Yes, pretty.”

Calyx’s gaze turned to the girl. Just as naturally as he had answered, Reibella was pretty. Her pink hair like a freshly bloomed spring flower, her fluffy cheeks that made one want to poke them. Her eyes were large and appeared haughty, but when she smiled they softened gently, making her expression mild. Whether smiling, crying, getting angry, or sparkling with curiosity, she was always pretty.

Much more so than the princess whom everyone praised as pretty and lovely.

How refreshing was her aura. That refreshing feeling seemed to seep into his lungs through the air.

“Calyx?”

Reibella, who had been watching the fish, turned to look at him. He was reflected in her spring-tree-like fresh green eyes.

When Calyx saw himself in those eyes, his heart would swell and he’d want to hug her tight.

But because she wouldn’t allow it, conscious of the Emperor’s eyes, he tightly squeezed his free hand before releasing it, enduring again and again.

But……

“Our Calyx. Were you sad because sister was looking at the fish?”

Now that she seemed a bit more comfortable, Reibella would sometimes tease him playfully. She would act as if she had looked right into his mind.

It was like that now too. Reibella, who had keenly noticed his thoughts, hugged him.

Calyx leaned his face against her shoulder, acting spoiled.

Then he muttered grumpily.

“……Who’s sister.”

“Wouldn’t I be your sister mentally? I know more things too, you know?”

Though slightly disgruntled, that was certain. Reibella knew many things, and her thoughts were deeper than he could follow.

Going to the battlefield to survive the Emperor — it was a method he never would have thought of, but she had found it and shown him the way.

Calyx thought Reibella was amazing. Though she blamed herself for only being able to think of this much……

‘If I can live even one more day, it’s thanks to you, Reibella.’

Rather than withering away in the prison-like imperial palace, she had suggested a way for him to advance into a wider world to hear, see, and feel more things.

That alone was satisfying for him.

And, if possible, he planned to struggle to live a bit longer. Because he couldn’t let Reibella be sad because of his death. Since she was someone so lovely when smiling, he didn’t want to make her cry.

Fortunately, there was a way. The ‘Dragon’s Power’ passed down through imperial blood.

The dragon’s power said to be passed down through imperial bloodlines had only manifested in three people throughout history. The first Emperor, the second Emperor, and Calyx.

The first and second Emperors were said to have defeated thousands of enemies without their breath wavering, boasting such tremendous power that it was written in history books.

So if Calyx could properly manifest and control that power, there would be no reason to fear mere war.

Even that great Emperor had treated him like a lab rat trying to use this power.

‘Not to be used by the Emperor, but for you.’

He planned to try developing that power he had always turned away from. Because he would need a solid position and the power to protect that position to stay by Reibella’s side.

Only his worry was…

“Reibella.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t forget me.”